“We were complaining because we had no room for you on the bed. We ordered a new one, custom-sized and big enough for the three of us, but the way things were set up, it didn’t actually fit in the room,” I explain.
“You…what?” she asks in disbelief.
“Yeah, we were frustrated trying to put it all together,” Rudy adds, “Until we moved the dresser and then got everything into place.”
“And then we went downstairs and found your note.”
She covers her mouth with her hands. “Oh…oh my god, I’m such an idiot,” she whispers, “I panicked, I couldn’t go through hearing a whole big ‘breakup speech’ after hearing all of that and thinking…oh, fuck, I am so stupid.”
“You’re not stupid,” I tell her firmly.
Tears pour down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry,” she sobs, “I ruined everything.”
I don’t know which of us reaches for her first, but both Rudy and I pull her close until the three of us end up in a locked embrace, with Ava sandwiched and sobbing between us. We stand locked like this for a while until finally, Ava struggles a bit, wiping at her eyes, and we release her.
“I’m so sorry,” she murmurs again.
“Come home, Ava,” I tell her, “Everything so far has happened for a reason, right? And now you need a place to stay? Come stay with us. Come home.”
“Do you really mean it?” she whispers.
I look at Rudy, who nods, and we both turn to her. “We love you, Ava Grant. Our little family might be unconventional, but it’s ours, and we want you in it,” Rudy says, “Will you stay with us?”
Tearing up all over again, she nods.
“Speaking of our little family,” she says hesitantly, “I have some news for you two.”
Epilogue
Ava
I’d insisted on waiting to deliver my news until we got back to the house. Especially since Elaine still had Brianna and we had the place to ourselves for a few hours. It just didn’t feel right to tell them they were going to be dads again in the parking lot of my old job, especially with my face still caked in dried tears and snot.
I’d taken the drive home to collect myself, although every time I thought of the house as “home,” I nearly started blubbering all over again. The truth is that I’m probably just an overemotional sap and I always cry at the drop of a hat, but I’m opting to blame the pregnancy hormones.
They beat me here, and I take a few moments in the driveway to take some deep breaths and wipe my face. I don’t look too raccoon-ish and crazy, so when I’m satisfied that my face is as good as it’s going to get, I make my way inside.
Dustin and Rudy are waiting for me inside, and I swoon all over again. I couldn’t believe how stupid I’d been. Sure, out of context, that conversation had been devastating, but if I hadn’t jumped to conclusions, I would have known that they weren’t giving up on me.
They wanted to keep me.
“Ok, we’re here, what’s the big news?” Dustin asks impatiently.
He’d protested the wait, but I’d stubbornly put my foot down. But I can tell he’s ready to burst, dying to know.
“Well…it’s a good thing you two want to make me a part of this little family,” I tell them, “Because it’s about to get a little bigger.”
For a moment, they both just stare at me blankly and I wonder if I’ve been too subtle, so I slowly rest a hand over my belly. Rudy glances down, then at my face, then down, and then at my face once more, in a double take so dramatic it’s almost comical. “You mean-as in…”
“You’re pregnant?” Dustin finishes for them both.
I nod, wringing my hands nervously. They both look so stunned, I’m worried that the news isn’t being received well. Until suddenly I’m being squeezed between two linebacker-sized men jumping up and down and yelling like excited kids.
The crazy excitement is punctuated by the pair of them showering my face in kisses, then both of them kneeling down to kiss the ever-so-slight bump that’s started forming under my bellybutton.
Yeah, I think they took it well.
When Rudy raises to his feet, he brushes his lips over mine. “So, does this mean we should put off our…reunion?” he asks with a smirk.